1972 O-Pee-Chee Rick Martin #182 NHL Action Card Buffalo Sabres

Description

1972 O-Pee-Chee Rick Martin #182 NHL Action Card Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres' first season in the NHL in 1970-71 produced a few players who defined the franchise's early identity, and this 1972 O-Pee-Chee Rick Martin #182 NHL Action card features one of them on a Buffalo vs. Toronto card, with the red NHL ACTION banner and the white star badge identifying the Buffalo L. Wing. The front photo shows the Sabres in their black road sweaters battling the Maple Leafs, framed by the classic 1972 O-Pee-Chee tan border. Martin was one of the Sabres' earliest offensive threats as a left wing, and the card's own bilingual back explains why the franchise hung on his early production. It tells how Rick Martin set a record the previous season for most goals scored by a rookie left winger and how the club was rewarded with a place in the Calder Trophy voting. That 1970-71 season was the Sabres' franchise debut, and Martin's rookie goal total stood out immediately in the team's history, giving the new NHL city its first real offensive star. He went on to spend four seasons with Buffalo through the 1973-74 campaign, becoming one of the team's regular left wingers during its formative years, and action cards from the 1972 O-Pee-Chee set are among the most collected Buffalo cards from that era because the young franchise's early cards carry a special place in vintage hockey collecting. As a 1972 O-Pee-Chee Rick Martin #182, the card is a must-have for 1972 OPC sets and a cornerstone for 1970s Buffalo Sabres team sets, which remain a popular niche among vintage hockey collectors. The reverse is the Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back, printed in Canada, and not a US puzzle back. It carries the O. P. C. copyright, the large orange RICK MARTIN name panel, and a bilingual biography in English and French about his rookie goal record and the Calder Trophy recognition. the front shows light surface scuffing and minor handling marks, the corners are fairly sharp with slight roundness at the bottom right, the edges show light wear without significant edge chipping, the centering is acceptable for the era, and the back is clean with light age toning and no noticeable printing defects. The grade is conservative because binder storage and sleeve pressure can hide fine surface marks, and vintage O-Pee-Chee stock is prone to softening at the corners. This is an authentic 1972 O-Pee-Chee Rick Martin #182 NHL Action card and a strong value piece for 1972 O-Pee-Chee collections and 1970s Buffalo Sabres sets. Grade Estimate: EX 5